South Korean chipmakers’ competition will intensify

Significance

Lee promptly returned to business, visiting the United Arab Emirates and Malaysia on February 6-11. Meanwhile, SE’s rival SK hynix -- flagship of SK, the second-largest chaebol -- is forging ahead on many fronts.

Impacts

• Both Korean chipmakers will gain from a cyclical upswing in demand for semiconductors after a long slump, boosted by strong interest in AI.
• If achieved, an alliance between SK hynix and Taiwan’s TSMC would make a formidable competitor for Samsung.
• Though criticised for nepotism and illegalities, the chaebol system of family-controlled conglomerates is robust and often dynamic.